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Lydia Messling University of Reading |
Lydia Messling is a Leverhulme Trust Doctoral Scholar in Climate Justice, and is based at the University of Reading, U.K. Her research is exploring how climate change researchers should engage in advocacy, if at all, when communicating with policy makers and the lay public. Lydia's project uses both political theory and empirical research to examine the frames and methods of communication that researchers use to explain their findings to non-experts, and how they navigate communicating uncertainties whilst providing useful information for policy makers. It is widely valued that science should be politically neutral, independent and objective. Advocacy has the potential to undermine public trust and damage the scientific integrity of scientists' work by being at odds with these values. However climate change is an issue that requires urgent action. The stakes are high, the risks and uncertainties are difficult to comprehend, and advocacy for coordinated social action is vital. But should climate change researchers engage in this advocacy? Or is this outside of their remit?
